Binder got off to a great start and led the opening exchanges ahead of Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) after the Spaniard was able to get himself up to second from P4 on the grid, with Bagnaia slotting into fourth before overtaking Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP). Marquez was then able to slice his way through to the lead on lap three his home GP as the front trio then started to break away from the chasing Baldassarri and Schrötter.

Fourth place Baldassarri was reeling in the leading three though as Marquez’ pace at the front started to dip, with Binder and Bagnaia now swarming the number 73. Then, heading into Turn 16 at the end of the back straight on lap 13, the South African ran slightly wide. Bagnaia held the tighter racing line as Binder started to cut back, with the Italian tagging the side of the KTM rider – a heart in the mouth moment that cost Bagnaia third place at that point of the race.

Not fazed by the incident, Binder continued to lock horns with Marquez and after two failed attempts, the 2016 Moto3™ World Champion made a move stick into Turn 12 on lap 15 – the two coming into contact on the exit. From there, the 23-year-old couldn’t be stopped and he went on to claim his second intermediate class win. Behind, Bagnaia re-gathered and made his way past Baldassarri on lap 17 after the latter was wide at Turn 3 before getting the better of Marquez – P2 for the Championship leader who now has a 19-point lead in the title race. Baldassarri and Marquez then found themselves in a dog fight on the penultimate lap, the former emerging victorious – third for Baldassarri, fourth for Marquez.